Molly Gray ’10 majored in International Affairs and now works at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls

July 08, 2013

Molly Gray graduated from Lewis & Clark in 2010, where she majored in International Affairs and studied abroad in Senegal. After graduating she spent 9 months traveling through 12 countries in Europe from Ireland to Bosnia. Molly currently spends her time working as the Program Director/Volunteer Coordinator at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls in Portland. She enjoys playing the drums, hanging out with puppies, learning how to ride her motorcycle, and is planning to build a tiny house in the next year or two.

Career Development Center: How did you find out about Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls? What interested you in the organization?

Molly Gray: I first came to Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls in 2004 as a camper because my family thought I would benefit from a program that focused on building girls’ self-esteem through music creation, performance and positive female mentorship. My experience as a camper had a very profound impact on my life and I knew that I wanted to help bring the mission of Camp to other girls. I have been involved in a lot of different ways ever since.

CDC: What does a typical work day look like for you? What types of projects do you typically work on?

MG: One of the things I really enjoy about what I do is the fact that I don’t often have a typical work day. My job includes everything from coordinating and training all of the volunteers for our summer camps, to helping put on all-ages shows, planning our afterschool programs, learning how to repair musical equipment, and screen-printing t-shirts.

CDC: How has your liberal arts education prepared you for life beyond college?

MG: My job is often as varied as my L&C education. I majored in international affairs and I certainly use my diplomacy skills now, but I also took classes in French, queer studies, women’s and gender studies, and music, all of which have been relevant to my life and my work.

CDC: What advice would you give graduating seniors getting ready to enter the workforce?

MG: Explore your options and volunteer.

There are so many ways to make a living and a difference, especially in Portland. It’s worth checking out your options and, if possible, volunteering in order to try things out. For me it was important to figure out what was out there in terms of possible schedules, work environments, responsibilities, and what impact my work could have. Volunteering can give you to get a better idea of what you want in a job and what works for your life, your needs, and your goals.

CDC: What roadblocks did you encounter along the way to your current position at Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls?

MG: When I started to get more involved in the year round operations of Rock Camp there was not a paid position available, but there was work that needed to be done. So initially I was volunteering at Camp several days a week in addition to working full time, which was hard but when a job opened up I already had a lot of experience with the work and was a natural fit to fill that staff position.

CDC: Can current students and alumni get involved?

MG: Yes! My co-worker Katherine and I are both LC alums! We taught at RnRC4G’s after school programs while in college and every summer we work with lots of awesome LC students and alumni who volunteer at our Summer Camps. There are opportunities for people of all gender identities, with or without musical experience, who are interested in getting involved with building girls’ self-esteem and empowering them to create social change. We also have events, all-ages shows, and programming year round as well as a Ladies Rock Camp for adult women to participate in the Camp experience while raising money for our scholarship fund! There are also over 44 other Girls Rock Camps worldwide!